Story ID: 
McKinney Aerospace Closes Doors
By: Gordon Gilbert
Caption: McKinney Aerospace, a maintenance, refurb and avionics shop at Collin County Regional Airport north of Dallas, closed its doors late last month.
Word Count: 181
McKinney Aerospace, a maintenance, refurb and avionics shop at Collin County Regional Airport north of Dallas, closed its doors late last month. Purchased by Aeros Aviation in March last year, McKinney Aerospace was intended to be a "design and certification center" for Aeros Aviation projects. Aeros Aviation develops "unique aviation solutions," according to the company, that focus on cabin entertainment, airport security and communications. The closing of McKinney Aerospace "opens more opportunities for aeronautical business on the airport," said airport director Ken Wiegand. Aeros is currently building a new hangar complex at the airport, which remains under construction, Wiegand said. The former McKinney Aerospace hangar is owned by George Schuler, founder of the FBO that was purchased earlier this year by Cutter Aviation. Four other large clear-span hangars are planned for the airport, Wiegand added, and at least two more flight departments are planning to move to Collin County Regional, joining existing tenants EDS and Texas Instruments. Asked about the shutdown, McKinney v-p of maintenance Joe Prince told AIN, "[It is] a sad time for the great people at McKinney Aero."